Only The End
by Kirikou
Summary: A horrible tradgedy occurs within the HQ which Numbuh 1 blames himself for. How can he live with himself when he believes her death was his fault?


KIRIKOU ======= ALT-UNIVERSE FIC, ANGST, 1/5 PAIRING_ RATED PG FOR CONTENT_ ======= AUTHOR'S NOTES: All right, I have one person to thank for this story first and foremost, my sis Love Angel for all of her great ideas and encouragement. Yes, this is indeed another of my angsty fics, and I think you might want to pull out a box of tissues for it.  
  
DISCLAIMER: All characters of the KND and story are the sole property of Mr. Warburton. I am writing simply for the entertainment of the audience and am not and do not intend on making any money off of this story or any of the others I have written. =======  
  
Shadows paint the sidewalk A living picture in a frame See the sea of people All their faces look the same So I sat down for while Forcing a smile In a state of self denial Is it worthwhile? --Creed, "Pity for a Dime" CD SONG: Creed, "Ode" ---  
  
LINCOLN RESIDENCE// 2:00 PM_  
  
"Abby, time to go! We're going to be late!" A dark woman yelled from the bottom of the stairs of the Lincoln residence, putting her shoes on. A dark girl stumbled down the stairs, hat shielding her eyes from nobody in particular. She shouldered past the lady, fixing her blue shirt. She would have rather been anywhere else at the time, particularly at HQ with the rest of the Kids Next Door, instead of going to her mother's friend's house. She sighed deeply again, making her annoyance known to her mother. The lady looked at her pathetically, rolling her eyes.  
  
"You don't want to go, do you?" She asked. Abby shook her head. The lady gave her a pat on the back, pointing out of the door. "Get outa here girl." She smiled. Abby immediately complied, running out the door to the treehouse. She quickly turned around, running back to her mother and hugging her tightly.  
  
When she arrived on the scene, there was a major debate flowing through the walls of HQ, from two major competitors. Numbuh 1 was trying to get his point across to Numbuh 2.  
  
"Look, we can't get in the building any other way!"  
  
"It's not possible! It's not scientifically ethical! Your head is in the clouds!"  
  
"We can't do the mission if we can't get to the place!!" The smaller of the two huffed, pushing up his shades, though the sun wasn't even out, and he was indoors. Numbuh 2 only crossed his arms, not ready to abandon his spot. "Would you look at this already?!"  
  
"Look at what? There's nothing to. oh.that would work!" Numbuh 2 gasped, the plans in his hands suddenly making perfect sense. He went off to the back to get started, Numbuh 1 grinning over his win. Numbuh 5 walked in, waving to the rest of the kids.  
  
"Numbuh 5's 'ma let 'er come by." She smiled, her hat still covering her eyes from view. She crossed her arms as she passed Numbuh 1, shouldering him roughly, as though he wheren't there. He gasped as he stumbled forward into a nearby table, completely knocked off balance. He flashed a deadly glare in her smiling direction, sighing and shaking his head. She was good for something, he knew, and the most valuable comrade. But why did she have to be so moody? And it wasn't just him, either. She was nice around everyone else. HE was the only one she was offbeat with. Numbuh 4 joined him at his side, glaring over at the spewed plans on the table.  
  
"She likes 'ya man." He nudged the boy playfully, whistling as he walked away from him. Numbuh 1 glared at him evilly convinced that that was not the case.  
  
"Like me.that's something else. Let's get this mission started!" He shouted. The kids followed quickly after him to the site of battle. The Delightful Children's home.  
  
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DELIGHTFUL CHILDREN'S MANSION//3:45 PM_  
  
"Alright, KND. Let's move out. Numbuh 3 and 4 will go in through the back. Numbuh 2 is coming over the top, ready to take us out if anything goes wrong, you hear that Numbuh 2? You're backup. Better be there. As for Numbuh 5 and myself, we will go through the front, in the windows if possible. Those kids are gonna pay for what they did." He growled, fixing his shades. They sat apon a branch of a tree next to the wall surrounding their mansion. More like a compound, thought Numbuh 1. Numbuh 5 only glared back at him with the most animosity he'd ever seen. That's too bad for her that she doesn't like me, he thought to himself. She's the most valuable when I'm around to watch her! He flipped himself off of the tree limb, jumping onto the top of the wall and shimmying along the top until he came to a small bit of junk piled towards the top.  
  
Numbuh 2 had turned around to get the MISQUITOH ready to pick them up if necessary. They'd been able to get a cloaking device for it over the few months they'd had to plan since the last time the DLFDTL attacked their base. Numbuh 5 followed closely after Numbuh 1, jumping down from the wall when he had to climb. They stood at the bottom of the wall, waiting for the signal from Numbuh 3 and 4. The two ran past the security with little trouble, leaping into bushes. Numbuh 1 fixed his shirt, glaring at Numbuh 5, who leaned lazily against the wall.  
  
"Where are they!?" Numbuh 1 thought aloud, pacing back and forth, glaring at his watch for the fifteenth time. It had already been a half an hour and still no sign at all. He spoke through the walky talky up to Numbuh 2.  
  
"Numbuh 2, have you seen 3 and 4?"  
  
"Nothing yet, captain!" He spoke enthusiastically, as if he hadn't a clue what was going on. Numbuh 1 sighed, glaring up at the machine that hovered over the building like the bug it was. Surprising that the Delightful Brats hadn't noticed it, Numbuh 1 thought. He was about to call off the whole mission when suddenly lights came over the entire property, illuminating their hiding spot.  
  
"No use hiding Numbuh 1. We know where you are. The plan didn't work so well, did it?" The voice of the Delightful Children came booming over the loudspeaker, flowing through the entire 50 acres of property. Numbuh 1 cursed to himself, glaring out at the lights that so quickly gave away his position.  
  
"Well, can't do anything unless you do it yourself!" He shouted, tumbling out from the wall and across the lawn. He was immediately shot at by who knows what, until one of them grazed his arm and almost stuck. He hit the wall of the place, noticing Numbuh 5 close behind him. He picked up the object, eyes wide. A dart? It took him a moment later to see the rest of it. Tranquilizers?! He ran along the wall, Numbuh 5 chattering about bashing skulls right behind him. He sat below the window sill in front of the house, where no light penetrated. The little darts continued to fly by, getting closer and closer to their targets, but never quite hitting the two.  
  
"That's it! Numbuh 5's goin' in!" She shouted, picking herself up and dodging the darts, slamming open the front door. Numbuh 1 shouted after her in anger, getting the courage to run after.  
  
"Numbuh 5, it's a trap! Get back here!" He yelled, running in after her, only to dodge several more darts as he entered. He gasped at the sight of the girl tied and gagged above him, squirming, trying to get away. Her muffled shouts told him to get out of the way.  
  
"The end of the line." The children spoke together, shooting a dart at the boy, who just barely missed it, hitting a nearby wall. He took out the walky talky at once, screaming at Numbuh 2 from above. Numbuh 4 and 3 where also tied nearby.  
  
"Forget the mission! Get down here now!!" Numbuh 2 jumped out of his stupor, nodding quickly.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, oh! Commin' down!"  
  
"And bring some clippers!" Numbuh 1 screeched. Numbuh 2 scratched his head, slamming through the ceiling of the main room, surprising the Delightful Children, who had stood just below. They smiled once calmed, calling up something to go after them as each of the KND where snipped out of the restraints. Unfortunately to the Delightful Children, the KND where already out the door by the time their old butler had arrived. They sprinted out of the door, standing there as their machine flew away. As they turned around, all Numbuh 1 could hear was their anguished screams of defeat. Their entire mansion had been spray painted, courtesy of the KND. A nice color at that. The happiness didn't last, however, as his mind went back to Numbuh 5, who was lounging in the back. He would deal with her when they got back.  
  
=======  
  
"What where you thinking Numbuh 5!? You could have had us all caught!!"  
  
"Somebody had to do somethin', not hide around like a mole!!"  
  
"You almost got us all killed! If they'd caught me, who knows what they would've done.!"  
  
"They didn't catch us! We all got out!"  
  
"That's not the point! You where risking the safety of others and disobeying!"  
  
"It's not my fault you're a chicken!" Numbuh 5 yelled at the top of her lungs, right back at the younger child, who stood his ground as the other kids watched from afar. They wanted nothing to do with this. When those two got in an argument, no one stood in their way.  
  
"You wheren't thinking, and that's the point!"  
  
"Numbuh 5 was thinkin'! Numbuh 5 was thinkin' 'bout the others in there getting tortured!"  
  
"It would have gone just as well if you'd just listened to me!"  
  
"Numbuh 5 ain't gonna listen to you all the time boy!"  
  
"What?!" Numbuh 1 was completely startled. Did she just call him 'boy'?  
  
"There where still three able kids. We could have made it fine!!"  
  
"It's not the point. You went against my decision!"  
  
"Well, your decisions suck! I ain't gonna take no more of yer jabberin'! I'm outa here!!"  
  
"Fine with me!" He huffed, turning around arms crossed. Numbuh 5 stormed out of the place, slamming doors wherever she went. Numbuh 3 went after her as she went to her room.  
  
"Numbuh 5."  
  
"Numbuh 5 ain't in the mood to talk, Numbuh 3." She growled, picking up some things she'd brought with. A headset and CD player. Numbuh 3 stayed behind her, as if she hadn't heard.  
  
"Numbuh 5 leave? Really mad huh? Just stay here! Numbuh 1's just mean." She asked in her crude English, arms crossed like Numbuh 5. Numbuh 5 smiled, giving her a playful shove.  
  
"Numbuh 5 be back in a few hours. Just need to cool off."  
  
"Bye!" Numbuh 3 spoke quickly, waving wildly as Numbuh 5 walked out of the door. Now, time to deal with some certain orange-hooded little boy. She rubbed her hands together, smiling evilly  
  
"Numbuh 1, don't you think you're over-reacting a little? We're all fine." Numbuh 2 tried to calm the raging leaduh down, but he was doing nothing but pacing and ranting at everyone who crossed his path now. He turned to Numbuh 2.  
  
"That wasn't the point! She disobeyed direct instructions!"  
  
"You know how Numbuh 5 can be. It's just the way she is. Would you slow down? It's not the end of the world, and she just left a minute ago." Numbuh 1 finally stopped, sighing as he stared out of the window at the scenery. Everything could be seen from that one window. He watched Numbuh 5 from up there, still stalking, stopping to put on her headset and set the song before heading on. Always so stubborn.why was she like that? As much as he tried, he really couldn't stay mad at her for too long. He even thought, as she headed out towards the street, that he could go out and convince her to come back.but no. That would look like he was backing out. He continued to watch her approach the busy street, walking up to the curve, but not bothering to look in either direction. The headset.  
  
"ABBY! LOOK OUT!!!" A voice was heard from downstairs. Numbuh 1's eyes widened at the sight of the truck, only feet away from the girl, heading at full speed. She turned her head in time to see it, only feet from her, but was unable to do anything about it. It was already too late. The KND saw the truck run right over her with a blare of the horn, screeching to a halt as her body skittered under tires of the truck and into a ditch, body parts sprawled in unusual directions. Numbuh 1 couldn't speak. He could only stare at the body in the ditch, bleeding profusely, making a puddle. He ran out to her, Numbuh 3 and 4 ahead. Numbuh 3 was the first to get a glance at the sight, stopped dead in her tracks, eyes wide. Numbuh 4 wrenched her back, covering her eyes. He couldn't even look himself.  
  
"Oh God." Numbuh 2 stammered as the trucker ran back with a cell phone. The ambulance arrived, picking up the tangled body and putting it in the truck, driving away. The traffic was stopped at this point, slowing to see what the commotion was about, gasping at the sight.  
  
"Poor girl!" They spoke silently, driving on. The ambulance was gone by the time Numbuh 1 had put it all together in his mind, before, unable to sort it all out. So fast.it all happened so fast. He took a look out at the street, the sound of Numbuh3's crying barely audible from the sound of the cars. He went to the edge of the street, picking up an object. The CD player, still in perfect condition, still playing the same song she'd put on. The kids' parents had come by then, beckoning them to their cars to the hospital. Numbuh 1 was slow to comply as he held on to the player. The headset.she must still have the headset. I'll be sure to return it to her.  
  
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HOSPITAL//5:00 PM_  
  
"Is she alright mom?" Numbuh 2 asked his mother, who only held onto him tightly, despairing that he'd had to see such a sight, and upset that she might have to tell him otherwise. Kuki's parents held their girl to the point that she was suffocating. Numbuh 1's mother, on the other hand, was talking on the phone. Numbuh 1 sat on the chair next to her, his feet not touching the floor. He still held onto the player, watching the numbers go by, the song repeating itself several times now. The light above the door they where to enter went out. The kids all immediately perked up, heads turned. Numbuh 1 still watched the player. The doctor came out, nodding his head. Numbuh 5's parents' faces where blank, as if they didn't understand. Numbuh 1 looked up, past the doctors, past the parents and other teammates, into the room, straining his eyes to see what was in the corner there. A bed. the bed was covered. A nurse was wheeling the cart away, the impression of a body under the covers. It was just then that he'd registered the doctor's words.  
  
"We're so sorry. We did all we could. She just lost too much blood by the time we got her here. The blow to her head was too severe.broken bones, fractured skull, funeral costs.  
  
Funeral costs. Abby's parents are crying, the other parents trying to comfort them. Numbuh 3, what's she doing? She's crying as well, Numbuh 4 holding onto her as if he would fall. Numbuh 2 joins the circle. Numbuh 1 stares down at the player, the song starts over. The doctor gives the parents the headset. They give it to Numbuh 1. He hesitates, what was she really listening to? Did he care? Should he listen? The whole thing was a blur as he put the headphones in the player, listening on the other end.  
  
Adore me as I drift away Let me hear you say I'm fine You cry as my body dies All that you despised has gone away  
  
The song rang through his head like a million bells, again and again as it repeated, as they went to his house, as he went to his room, the look on his face never changing from the time they left. His mother had spoken to him but he hadn't heard. He hadn't heard any of it. None of the funeral that was next week, none at all. The world was going slowly for him, stumbling up the stairs to his room, lying down on the bed, staring at the ceiling through the tinted shades. Through all of it a small tear trickled down his cheek, staining the pillow as the song repeated once more.  
  
The week went by quickly, Numbuh 1 staying at home. He couldn't go back, too many memories. He hadn't hated her, he realized as he lay in his bed. He'd liked her. He'd liked her more than he thought he did.  
  
The Unos attended the funeral, Nigel in a black suit, just like the rest of the family, like the rest of the attendees. The rest of the KND comforted him, spoke nice words, hugs. He didn't see, didn't feel any of them. He couldn't see the kids. They wheren't there in his eyes. The only thing was the casket above the hole where it would be lain. The casket was closed, the body too wrecked. The only member to go out of her way.wrecked. Ruined, never to return.  
  
He still wore the headset, having replaced the batteries several times. The song ran over once more. He watched the people, saw their faces but couldn't understand why. His shades still covered his eyes. The people where tinted, unreal. The casket. He glared down into the hole, the other kids wondering why he wasn't listening or responding. The hole was wide, just big enough for the little coffin to be lowered in. The men where already lowering it in. He hadn't realized that all of that time had passed. All of those hours. Ladies threw flowers onto the coffin, trinkets, and a bracelet. Nigel watched all of their faces, a blur of the music in his ears. The same song. Repeat again. The coffin was all the way down, quite a few feet below him. Abigail was in that coffin, dead in its depths. A body never to rise, a soul never to speak. He could remember a few times they had shared, times when they wheren't arguing. They'd done a lot together. They'd learned to trust one another. She'd come to him once, he still couldn't figure out why, tried to say something, and never did. He'd tried to say things himself. Too late, he thought. There's no reason to say it now. He shuffled a piece of paper around in his jacket, the song repeating again. He fell to his knees beside the grave, eyes closed in prayer. She's in a better place, someone said to him. He believed them. He'd never forget her. I'll never forget you, Operative Numbuh 5.  
  
He sighed, the song playing once more. He let it play, ringing into his ears. He knew every word, memorized it all from start to finish, even the melody. He'd never forget that song. He took the headset off, holding the player in his hands, watching the numbers, just like at the hospital. It repeated once more. The batteries where new. He smiled, setting it down in the hole, watching the numbers go, one at a time, one after another. His mother put an arm around him. He'd never forget that song. She lifted him up. He pulled away, reaching into his pocket, taking out the note and throwing it into the hole with the player, mother finally walking with him towards the car. He didn't look back at the sight. Didn't look at faces, didn't think about the girl in the coffin. Didn't say anything to his friends. He stumbled into the car, staring forward as they went home.  
  
Dinner dishes. He'd changed out of the nice outfit, back to his old sweater. His shades still sat apon his nose. He said nothing to his parents. He picked up the first few dishes, letting the steaming water run through the drain, over his hands as he cleaned. Thought about Abigail, the note he'd left her, the player repeating again. The song went over and over in his head, never ceasing to play, repeating like a CD. He washed the dishes, putting them all back, washed the utensils. A knife, a strong, large blade, used to cut the meat. He stared at it, remembering her body lying in the ditch, the doctor's face, her parent's reaction, the player.headset.  
  
She hadn't listened to him, disobeyed orders.hadn't gone to mother's friend's house.went on the mission, argued. Killed in the street, ran over and killed. A trucker, running with the phone, Numbuh 3 crying.the player. Hospital, the scene over again In his mind, playing over and over, pictures perfect, though he couldn't remember them. The knife gleamed in his hands, the water still running through the drain. It seemed a strange color to him, blurry, out of place. It ran red through the drain, dripping from the faucet, though it was turned off. The kitchen was spinning, the song running through his head. The last moments of Abigail's life.the last moments of his. He fell in the puddle of red, the song repeating, one last time. -------- 


End file.
